Container inspection window having light excluding shutter



Aug. 23, 1949. w. R. KOHL 2,479,627

CONTAINER INSPECTION WINDOW HAVING LIGHT EXCLUDING SHUTTER Filed Aug. 16, 1946 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 CONTAINER INSPECTION WINDOW HAVING LIGHT EXCLUDING SHUTTER William R. Kohl, Glenview, 111.

Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 691,117

2 Claims. 1

This invention pertains to an improvement in inspection windows for mothproof garment storage bags and like containers, wherein articles of wear are stored and shielded from both soiling or damage by dirt and dust and from fading due to the effect of light.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel transparent inspection window of the type described, adapted to be simply and inexpensively manufactured and applied to an opaque garment storage bag or similar container, and having provision for receiving a retractable window closure or shutter, thereby enabling the garment or article in the container to be inspected when desired.

A further and more specific object is to provide an inspection window device fabricated of superposed layers of flexible opaque and transparent materials adapted to be folded upon itself and adhesively secured to the bag over an opening therein, all in a very expeditious manner.

Yet another object is to provide a transparent inspection device of the type described which is applicable over an inspection opening in a garment storage bag .or like container to afford a slit pocket receiving a window closure or shutter element, said window acting to shield said opening against entrance of dust or dirt and to seal the bag against escape of the odor of mothproofing materials through the pocket and opening.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a h general way of the nature of the invention, but other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and operation of the device.

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose of exemplification, but it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of incorporation in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a face view illustrating a garment storage bag having an inspection window operatively applied thereto in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a face view illustrating the exposed surface of the inspection window, just prior to application thereof to the storage bag;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the device shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the application of an adhesive to a portion of the rear thereof;

Fig. 5 is a face view illustrating the assembled the nature of the contents thereof.

members of the device prior to folding of the same to the position shown in Fig. 3 and application to the storage bag;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the structure shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a view in vertical section on line 7-1 of Fig. 5, further illustrating the device in its fiat, unfolded condition at that stage of manufacture.

This invention relates to improvements in an inspection window or window shield of the type illustrated and described in my earlier Patent No. 2,383,132, dated August 21, 1945, and in particular to a simplification .of the method of fabrication of such a window device and application thereof to a garment storage bag or similar container.

Referring to the drawings, the reference num eral H) generally designates a garment storage bag of well known type which is in wide use by dry cleaning establishments for the delivery and storage of garments, usually following dry cleaning thereof.

As is well known, it is desirable that the garments be entirely sealed in such bag and shielded against entrance of dirt and dust and from exposure to light, yet it is also desirable that some means he provided whereby a view of the interior of the bag may be conveniently had to ascertain It is for this purpose that the inspection window device of the present invention, generally designated l l, is applied to the bag. The inspection window covers an opening I2 of substantial area in the bag immediately to the rear of the window, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The Window ll consists, in general, of an apertured frame mask or guard sheet l3, preferably died out of the same opaque paper stock from 1 which the bag In is manufactured, a transparent window sheet 14 of regenerated cellulose or other comparable transparent, flexible material, and a closure slide or shutter element [5 (see Fig. 2)

also of opaque material and permissibly ,of the same material as the bag.

The mask I3 is died out asa sheet having the outline illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, namely, in the form of a pair of panels Hi, I? integrally and foldably connected to one another by aligned intermediate, transversely directed bend lines [8 of limited extent, running to the sides of the sheet. The said panels are of unequal width and length, the panel 16 being of substantially greater lateral and longitudinal dimensions, whereby when the mask is folded on lines I8 a substantial The material between tab portion 20 entirely removed, leaving a window space 23 in I said panel.

The panel it has an opening 24 provided therein at such a location that, when the panels are foldably superposed along the bend lines 18, the remote, curved outer margins of the openings 23 and 24 will coincide, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the straight lateral margins of said openings also coinciding.

The transparent window 14 is in the form of a simple rectangular sheet of regenerated cellulose of like transparent material of longitudinal and lateral dimensions adequate to completely cover the openings 23 and 2 3 in the fiat, unfoldedcom dition of the device, see Fig. 6. Said transparency is adhesively secured to the flat mask l3 by a continuous peripheral or border line of adhesive 25, adjacent but spaced between the outer marg-i-n of the window and adjacent the margins of the openings 23, 24, as also illustrated in Fig. 6. It will be understood that said window transpareney extends as a continuous sheet over the entire area of both openings, and of the tab portion 20 in unfolded condition of the assembly, and is completely sealed therearound in order to prevent entrance of dust or dirt through the openings 23, 24 under any conditions.

An elongated arcuate slit 26 isprovided in the outer panel it of mask l3, in spaced relation to opening 2%, said slit extending transversely of said panel. This slit is for the purpose of ultimately receiving the closure slide or shutter H5 in the operative position of the parts.

With the window sheet id assembled to the mask it in the manner described, the superposed parts are bent on one another along the lines 18 to sandwich the window sheet between panels 16, H, 'i. e., to the position illustrated in' Figs. 3 and When this is done, the tab 20 remains in the plane of the panel 16, since it is freed from the panel H by the slits 21. With the parts in this folded condition, a coating of adhesive 2'! is applied to the entire area of the panels l6, l1 exposed on one 'side of the device, including the tab 20 but excluding the exposed surface of the window transparency M. The device is then pressed on the bag 10 over the opening [2 to adhere the same to the bag and complete the assembly.

' The joint eifected by the adhesive 21 serves to laterally seal the sides of the transparent pocket defined by the folded transparent sheet.

In use, with a garment inserted in bag l0 and the latter appropriately sealed at'the top and bottom, as indicated in Fig. 1, a shutter or closure slide 15 is inserted in the pocket of the device H through the slit pocket entry 26 thereof. This slide is of adequate length and width to completely cover the area exposed through the opening 24 at the front of the device, overlapping the lateral margins of openings 23, 24 for that purpose. If desired, any identifying tickets, tags or the like may also be disposed in this pocket. .So disposed, they are received between the super- 4 posed layers of the transparent window sheet I4 and are readily retractable therefrom. However, the sealing of the window sheet to the mask l3 around the entire perimeter of the window areas and the continuous sealing of the folded device it to the bag by adhesive coated areas 21 precludes any possibility of entrance of dirt or dust into the bag from said pocket.

The double ply thickness of mask and window tends to reinforce and strengthen the device considerably, distinguishing the same in this respect from the flimsiness of previous similar devices.

When it is desired to view the contents of the bag, the shutter or closure slide I5 is simply lifted and replaced. The presence of a layer of cellophane on either side of the slide enables this to be done freely and without snagging, and reinsertion of the device is also facilitated.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a container having an inspection opening, a medially foldable, sheetlike mask element having material removed therefrom at spaced areas therein to afford registering inspection apertures through superposed plies of said element in an operative foldedcondition thereof, and a flexible, transparent window sheet adhered to said mask element around said apertures and foldable between the plies of said eiemerit in said operative condition to afiord a twothickness transparent pocket within said element, both of the folded plies of said mask element having means for securing the same to said'container over said container inspection opening, one of said plies being cut to afford an entry to the pocket thus defined between said plies for the slidable reception of a closure element in said pocket.

2. An inspection window of the type described, comprising :a flexible mask member having superposable panels foldably connected to one another, said panels each having material removed therefrom at spaced areas so related as to define an inspection opening through the mask member in folded, superposed condition of the panels, a flexible transparent window sheet folded on itself and disposed between said superposed panels, the plies of said folded windowsheet being adhesively secured respectively "to adjacent surfaces of said respective mask member panels around said opening and defining a transparent pocket therebetween, one of said panels being of larger area than the other to marginally overlap the same and being cut to afford an opening to said pocket at one side of said inspection opening, said panels being adapted to receive adhesive on adjacent marginal surfaces thereof to secure the mask member to a container or the like, with said inspection opening in registry with an inspection aperture in said container.

\KflLLIAM R. KOHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

2,383,132 Kohl Aug. 

